My last full day in Paris was cold and snowy. Cold Scandinavian air was mixing with warm African fronts to bring about rain, snow, slush, and overall miserable weather. I took refuge in three of Paris’ best museums: The Rodin, the Invalides, and, of course, the Louvre.
The Rodin museum is in an old 18th century estate with a huge house and ornate gardens. It contains many of Rodin’s most famous sculptures in a variety of different mediums especially black bronze. “John the Baptist” greets you right as you enter with his dignified bearded face. “The Man with the Broken Nose” is interesting with his far away gaze. The numerous sculptors of Psyche, muses, sculptors, and lovers continue to impress as the intricate detail of the artist expresses the most powerful of emotions, inspirations, and ideas. Rodin’s unparalleled skill instilled humanity in bronze and stone.
The best works of the museum are perhaps outside though. The “Gates of Hell” are near the entry in constant torment. The famous “Thinker” sits high among some spruce trees, locked in his eternal thought. The “Burgers of Calais” walk in still life on a small lawn. I especially liked the story of this sculpture. I will allow this inscription from the Standford copy of the statue to relate it:
“In 1884 the French city of Calais commissioned Auguste Rodin to create a memorial honoring heroes of the 100 Years War. He depicted the six burgers or citizens who in 1347 volunteered to leave the defeated city barefoot, tied by rope at the neck, and offer their own lives and the keys to Calais to King Edward III of England. The burgers fortitude, determination and devotion to their community preserved Calais from being pillaged at the end of a devastating siege. The burgers are shown at the moment of their departure from the city.
For Rodin this episode was an opportunity to celebrate the idea that heroic deeds may be performed by ordinary people. He did not follow tradition by idealizing the figures, rather he was uncompromising in his depiction of emaciated hostages and represented them as distinct individuals. Their faltering steps, despairing gestures and anguished expressions eloquently express the inner turmoil of each man struggling in his conscience between fear of dying and devotion to the cause.
This installation of independent casts was suggested by the sculptor’s wish to have the figures set among the paving stones of Calais town square, that the citizens of today might learn from the example of their heroic ancestors” (Stanford University Inscription).
From the Rodin museum I walked through the falling snow to the nearby Invalides. This building was once a hospital for wounded French soldiers. It is highly fortified and architecturally impressive, especially its golden dome. Louis the 14th even wanted his hospitals to be works of art. Today the Invalides contains a military museum, the museum to the French Resistance in WWII, and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, which is the real draw. Napoleon’s tomb is everything you would expect an emperor’s tomb to be. It pays special attention to the European obsession with the Roman Empire. Napoleon’s remains are kept in an enormous sarcophagus that in the Roman style is either made of porphyry or some other purplish stone. An inscription even says, “Napoleon, Emperor of Rome.”
By the time I was done with the Invalides it was beginning to get dark but at least the weather was improving. The snow had stopped. I got dinner then went to the Louvre, which is open late on Wednesday evenings. The Louvre is the greatest museum I have ever been in, from inside out. The enormous Palace is a wonder of architecture. The I.M. Pei Pyrimid entrance is amazing. The art collection is probably the greatest on the planet. Futility comes to mind when trying to describe this massive collection. Painting, sculptures, carvings, sketches, objects, ancient, recent, and all encompassing are the words I can use. I walked through as much as possible. I think maybe I saw a quarter of the works in 3 hours. That gives you an idea of the size of the complex. It makes me ask, why would anyone need a house so big, especially with Versailles nearby? My favorite room was definitely where the big Peter Paul Reubens’ are located. I love the big paintings, with tons of figures, and lots of action.
I went to bed exhausted that last night in Paris. The City of Light had taken a lot of energy to see. In the morning I caught a plane back to Rome. I had big plans for the week ahead. My girlfriend Laura was coming and I was ready to show off my new home sweet Rome! Paris was great but I have a soft spot for the Eternal City.
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